I Can Save Myself, Thanks
by TakeItInAgain
Summary: Jace is fucked. He has to put up with his best friend's annoying sister. He has to study for upcoming midterms, and now he has to deal with newfound abilities he didnt even know he had. The only person that can help him with the "abilities" is the school spitfire Clary Fray. Too bad Clary isnt the type of girl to give information away upon request. Female Simon FYI (work with me)
1. Intro

Hiya Readers! I have a couple little things to say before we start. First off if you'd like to follow this story then I'm going to have to warn you, I probably wont be updating as much as I'd like to. Truth be told I'm a student with very little downtime. If that doesn't bother you then please stick around! I'm really excited about this story! Without further ado...

Waking up on Tuesday always made me want to throw up. Tuesday is unique in its utter awfulness due to a number of variables lining up perfectly to create my least favorite day of the week. The unique Tuesday experience was caused by the miraculous alignment of both a sweaty and uncomfortable co-ed gym class followed by forty difficult minutes of study-hall across from the legendary Clary Fray. The same Clary Fray that I haven't talked to since Isabelle Lightwood told her that I like-liked her in second grade. I still kind of like-liked her to be honest. In fact I did a little bit more than like-like her. My closest friends have called me anything from "in love with her" to "obsessed."

That Tuesday was also going to be especially awful, I remembered as I pulled myself out of bed, because I had to wait in the rain for Alec after school. Alec and I had been an uncommon pair since we first spotted one another at age eleven. Alec had always been larger and bulkier than me where as I was more academically gifted. Unfortunately that meant he always got more attention than I did from girls. I wasn't an idiot. I knew why the ladies were chasing after him. Anyone could recognize the tall, dark, and handsome thing he had going on, and notice they did. I wasn't a bad looking guy, in fact I was pretty damn hot, but I was always overshadowed by Alec. I never really minded either, for whatever reason I was always had the image of Clary Fray on my arm keeping me from going after any other girls.

When I got to the front doors of the school I was already fifteen minutes late to AP Calculus. I had dented my car by pulling out of my driveway and hitting my neighbor's trashcan. Any other day I would have been fine, but it wasn't any other day. It was Tuesday and I was already pissed. I ran through the halls to my locker like a jackrabbit on crack, quickly and with an unusual rhythm. I didn't care if I hit anyone so long as I got to class with time enough to get the homework assignment for that night. It didn't matter so much that I wasn't learning what Mr. Garroway was teaching, I probably already knew the topic like the back of my hand.

With all of ten minutes of class left I arrived at room 211, winded and proud of myself. I quietly slipped into my desk behind my favorite life-ruiner Isabelle Lightwood. Not only was she Alec's little sister (making us practically siblings) she was also the incredibly annoying consumer of all things vapid. I carefully placed my books down on her hair that was draped across my desk so that when she tried to stand her hair would pull her back down. It wouldn't actually hurt her but it would be pretty damn funny. I had suffered worse at her hands over the years anyways.

"Why are you so late?" Isabelle hissed while pulling her long brown hair from under my books and turning around.

"I hit a trashcan on my way out this morning, no big deal. What's the homework?" I responded, disappointed my clever hair trick was ineffective.

"Page five-forty, eight through thirty-nine evens." Isabelle announced as she pointed to the board. "Anyways, did you hear about what happened with Clary Fray? She totally punched Sebastian in the face. I don't know why, but he probably deserved it, slimy little…"

"Wait what about Clary Fray?" I interrupted.

"Don't sound too interested Jacey-Spacey" She drawled, a maniacal grin plastered on her face along with her bubblegum pink lip-gloss. "Someone might accidentally let slip that you think Clary is a bombshell in art later today. I mean it's the truth right? What is it? Her sparkling green eyes? Her long red hair? Her hot little bod? Does she get you off at night Jace?" Her teasing was relentless as well as painfully true.

"How crass. Does she get you off Isabelle? Are you deflecting again?" I grinned at my own wit.

"Nah"

"Nah?"

"I prefer brunettes, Samantha Lewis is pretty cute though." She giggled manically. The queen of comebacks needed to be crowned. All hail Isabelle Lightwood.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Gym was excruciating as always and study hall was painfully awkward. I was almost positive Isabelle said something to Clary but it's not like I was going to ask her about it.

Here's the thing about Clary Fray, she's beautiful in a completely oblivious way. Like a princess among peasants; A goddess among mortals. She's also completely and totally unavailable. Clary had a strict no-dating policy to go along with her 'try me' attitude. She was intimidating to a smart man and a challenge to a stupid one. Many a badass has tried to get into her boot-cut jeans and each one has been shut down with one witty remark from her candy apple lips. Thank god I wasn't stupid enough to try because my pride probably couldn't take it.

Once I had finally corralled Alec into my dented 2000 Ford Taurus I breathed a sigh of relief. One more Tuesday down, Wednesday ahead. As we sped down Main Street, Alec fiddled with the radio and started wailing along to some Top 50 shit circa the early 1980s. By the time we pulled up to the Lightwood McMansion I had a synthesizer induced headache. I quickly turned the radio to an alternative station and turned in the direction of my own house.

That's when I heard the scream. It was high pitched and definitely feminine however it wasn't reminiscent of a bad horror movie in the slightest. To say the least, it gave me chills. I quickly turned my car in the direction of the scream and pushed the gas as far as it would go. I wasn't thinking anymore. I didn't have time to think, any moment I wasted meant another broken bone to repair or another punch to the jaw.

As I approached the back of what looked like a nightclub, I found that a slight figure wearing a gray hoodie was trapped under what looked to be a pile of chain-link fence. I instinctively went to lift the fences off of who I assumed was a young girl around my age or maybe younger. My effort was ineffective, the fence didn't budge. In a quick swoop Clary Fray's amazingly green eyes peered at me through her dark auburn eyelashes. She was glaring at me. Even her glare could take my breath away. I tried once again to move the fence, I relaxed the muscles in my arms and breathed trough my nose twice before lifting all of the fences up and over my head.

"What the fuck are you doing? How the hell are you doing that?" Clary screamed at me her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. I tried to toss the fences to my feet and ended up tossing them twenty feet down the alley like they were made of paper and not insanely heavy metal. I stared at my hands my mouth agape and then looked into Clary's eyes.

"Are you okay" I whispered in shock.

"I didn't need for you to save me, I could have taken care of that myself. Why don't you go back to wherever you came from" Malice appearing suddenly in her voice. Her glare was burning a hole into my face.

Faster than the blink of an eye she leapt into the air, falling gracefully into a silver hole that had popped out from under her foot. She was gone leaving only a runic symbol that looked like a diamond with two wings sprouting from the tip. This Tuesday was worse than usual by a long shot.


	2. Chapter 1

Yay! Chapter One! I'm so excited that people actually like this! I thought that it would fall to the bottom of the river of fanfiction. There are already a few follows! Thanks to all three of you reading this! feel free to send me a DM or a review. It sounds like I'm fishing for reviews but it will definitely keep me motivated!

I don't remember coming home last night and falling into bed. I don't remember if I said anything to my parents when I got home. I don't remember if I ate. I do remember Clary Fray screaming last night. I remember momentarily possessing inhuman strength. I remember the look in Clary's eyes when I lifted metal more than three times my weight like it was made out of paper-machѐ I remember Clary Fray jumping through a fucking portal.

"Shit, Shit, Shit!" I whisper to myself as I pace across my room in a sporadic gait. It must have been a dream. That's the only explanation. I've never even tried to lift more than a few hundred pounds. Those fences had to be at least twice that. Yup. Just a dream. No other way to explain it. Damn that was a weird dream though.

I look down at my hands once more. Shaking my head, I walk to my bathroom to take a shower. As the water runs down my chest I remember that I have a pile of homework that I haven't even started. I'll just have to skip my trip to Java Jones today. I pull into my desk and start into my Chemistry lab. I try to stay focused but it's like a magnet is pulling my thoughts back to Clary every fifteen seconds. I end up giving up on the Lit packet after promising myself I'll finish it before class.

Today I'm actually on time for school. Early even. I make my way over to Alec standing with Sebastian Verlac, Jem Carstairs, and Will something or other.

"Hey" I greet with faked enthusiasm. I glare at Sebasstian as he sneers at me. Seb and I have never really had a great relationship with each other.

"Wow you're early this morning." Alec said as he moved in between Sebastian and me. "Hey Jace come with me, I need to get some things from my locker" It's clearly a move made to get Sebastian and I away from each other. I follow him into the building anyways, not wanting to cause trouble before 7:30 in the morning.

We make our way to the back of the school carefully weaving through the throngs of freshman hanging around. It's like they multiply every day through some sort of alien mitosis. Distracted, I don't notice Clary in my way until it's too late.

"Uuugh" I grab her wrist before she faceplants into the ground. I secured her waist faster than any normal person could.

"Are you alright?" I shock myself with the smooth calmness of my words. I certainly don't feel calm. My world is spinning again. Judging by the look in her eye, last night was anything but a dream. She looks like she's about to smack me upside the head. I gently straighten her back up and reach down to grab the book she dropped.

"You know you have some nerve." She hisses while snatching the book from my hands. "You almost had me fooled walking around like a normal goddamn human being. Why the fuck did you do that, huh? You could've just scooted your little ass out of there and left me. Why didn't you?"

"What the hell are you talking about? What's happening to me?" I whisper-yell trying to keep my conversation from Alec who was standing obliviously only a few feet away. She rolls her eyes at me and gives me a look that makes me simultaneously frightened and turned on.

"Don't try to play dumb. It won't work with me." But her voice lacks the anger it had only a second before. Now she looks a bit confused. No, uncertain is a better word. Her lips are pursed in annoyance. What I wouldn't give to just lean in and kiss her.

"I don't know what's going on but I'm a little freaked out. I take it you know a bit more than I do. Or a lot more. Either way I'd appreciate a little guidance." I beg. She looks at me for a few moments before turning around and starting to walk away. With a look over her shoulder she says an official sounding.

"All I can really say at this point is that I'll be reporting you to the higher ups. Be prepared to make a very important decision in the next day or two." I really don't like the sound of that. Is it illegal for me to help the girl of my dreams out of a slightly dangerous situation? I'm nervous and genuinely terrified out of my skull. I'm also more than a tad curious.

"What was up with that? Why is Little Red going to report you? Did you tell her about that dream you had about her in ninth grade?" Alec smirks as he smacks me just a little bit too hard on my back.

"Nah, nothing man." Not sounding very convincing I make my way to Garroway's for Calc. The banter with Isabelle in class is halfhearted at best. I can tell Isabelle knows something's up but like the smart girl she is she keeps her trap shut about it. I breeze through the rest of the day noticing that Clary is strangely absent from all of our shared classes. Is she reporting me right now? Probably best not to dwell. If something's going to happen it'll happen. I'm a nervous bundle of energy until I get home.

I hurry up to my room and put in my earbuds, attempting to distract myself. When I realize there's no hope for sitting still I decide to experiment with the new lifting thing. I go out to the shed behind my house and drag the old push-lawnmower to the middle of my backyard. I tense my muscles and prepare myself for a heavy weight and… nothing. I can't get it to move any higher than normal. I try again hoping that it was a fluke. Still nothing. Maybe the fence was smaller than I thought? Then why would my reflexes be faster? The power of unrequited love? With one last halfhearted attempt I casually grab the mower handle with one hand and it's like the lawnmower is suddenly made of feathers. I tense my arm again still holding the mower over my head and it falls on top of me squishing my stomach and intestines. I gently push the mower off of me and stand back up.

"You really are new." A voice teases from behind me. Clary is watching from my deck, leaning from the side railing. She has some sort of black skintight leotard on under a leather vest and utility belt. To be honest she looks pretty badass and pretty damn hot. "Remember earlier today when I said you were going to have to make an important decision?"

"Yeah, actually I was wondering what you meant by that." I'm still staring at Clary, possibly with my mouth gaping open, when she replies.

"You'll find out soon enough. For now you need to come with me. Ill answer a few questions on the way if you'd like but I can't promise any answers. Try to steer clear of anything too personal, some information I can't tell you until you decide what you want to do." She straightens her back and starts walking towards the front yard. Despite her short stature, she had no trouble staying at least a few steps ahead of me.

In my driveway was possibly the most gorgeous car to ever grace my presence. A black, 2014 Corvette Stingray gleamed in the setting sun just a few feet away from me. I was scared and excited to touch it.

"Get in" Clary demands looking adorably impatient. What's the next surprise going to be? An all expense paid vacation to Hawaii? I'm in heaven right now. All too quickly nervousness settles back into my bones. I waited about ten minutes before asking.

"So how do you do that portal thing?" My voice shaking with uncertainty. Is that too personal?

"Same way you lift things I guess. That's your thing right? Lifting? I guess not all of us are blessed with fuckin' rad portals." I can tell she doesn't get the chance to brag a lot. She's cute when she's excited. I'm a little sad that I don't get to see her happy like this all the time.

"Did you go through all of this too? Like just suddenly a thing happened and you didn't know what to do about it?" I asked excitedly. I want to know more about Clary's life. Clary's smile dropped from her face like a child who had been told that Christmas is cancelled.

"Too personal" Clary stated blandly, yet firmly. "But kind of." I can tell we're running out of time. Clary is getting antsy and wiggling in her seat.

"What am I going to have to decide? Where are we going?" My nerves are catching up with me. I try not to puke in Clary's car. The car's too nice to puke all over.

"I can't tell you and you'll learn soon enough" She stated with a tone of finality. So that's all I'm gonna get? Okay, I've got some basic information. I can work with this.

We pull down a long road and drive in silence for a few minutes. That's when I see it. It's a huge modern building. It looks like a bunch of white blocks stacked atop each other haphazardly. Clary pulls up right to the front door and hands her keys off to a young looking guy in jeans and a tee-shirt. She strides up to the front door taking two steps at a time. The inside of the building is even more lavishly modern than the outside. I gaze all around the room examining it entirely. My family isn't poor, far from it, but we don't have near the amount of money it would take to maintain this place for even a day. The place is practically oozing style.

"This is where I'm going to leave you Jace. Just answer everything honestly. You'll be fine head up those stairs. He's expecting you in his office. Third door on the left. Don't keep him waiting." She sounds a bit disappointed not to come with. "See you in a few minutes maybe."

"Maybe?" Concern trickling into my voice. "Why maybe?" I sound like a little girl. I need to act more chill, a little more nonchalant.

"Depends on what you choose at the end of the interview. My hopes aren't very high that I'll see you after, but who knows?" Her voice regains a bit of mystery as she waves goodbye and exits down a long hallway to my right.

"Now or never I guess" I whisper to myself. I'm walking up the stairs to an interview and all I can think is that I hope I choose the path that will bring be back to Clary Fray.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2...Enjoy!**

My fingers are toying with each other as I make my way up the pristine white spiral staircase. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. The person on the other side of the door could be a serial killer for all I know. But I don't know. That's the issue I'm having. After what feels like a century of walking up stairs and down hallways I'm finally at the threshold of my interviewer's office.

"Please come in Johnathan," purrs a soothing baritone voice from inside the office. I turn into the sleek, modern-styled office, and am assaulted by a feeling of warmth and serenity. The man sitting at the desk examines me carefully before inviting me to take a seat in the chair across from his desk. I take my time sitting so that I can observe my host myself. I immediately noticed his vaguely Asian coloring and eye-shape and the streaks of multicolored dye scattered randomly throughout his hair. I expected an older man of a generous fortune. This man doesn't look a day over thirty. The nameplate on his desk reads Magnus Bane in sparkling blue cursive. An unusual name for an unusual man I decide quickly.

"I prefer Jace actually," I interject without thinking, and then immediately regret. People hate to be corrected and I don't want to upset the man who holds my fate in his perfectly manicured hands. Luckily he doesn't even seem to notice that I talked.

"First things first Johnathan, how much has Clarissa told you about what's going on?" Magnus maintains a steady gaze as he talks to me so that I'm forced to pay my full attention to Him. I suppose we're skipping introductions then.

"Pretty much nothing," I say with some amount of reluctance, "She just told me that I have to make a big decision today."

"Lovely, then let me explain this to you as delicately as I can. I'm going to have to ask you to hold all questions to the end. Okay?" Without waiting for my answer he takes a large breath and begins, "Some people have extra abilities outside of the norm…or…the regular. This has started occurring fairly recently creating some quite unique circumstances over the many, many years. There has been a necessity for order in this situation. I was chosen a few years ago to provide that order. I was put in charge of this general region of the country to help maintain the balance of power. A 'good versus evil' structure was created at the original occurrence of these abilities to ensure that you are all kept at a balance. I'm here to help you figure out what you are supposed to to do with your newfound abilities. The process we are going to go through is just going to be a few questions asked to examine your moral character. Any questions before we begin?"

One thing about Magnus' speech makes me uneasy "What do you mean by 'good versus evil" are those government code words or…?" I trail off not knowing how to finish my question. Magnus gives me a pitying look before informing me that he isn't able to tell me.

I weigh asking some of the questions that have been bouncing around my head all day and hopefully receiving a more concrete response. "Why are people split up like this? Who does it purpose?" I ask delicately.

"The government wanted you all to be controlled. I can only do so much by myself, however, so I set up a self-governing system and will give you contacts to help you become successful in this new system."

"What are other abilities like? I mean they have to all be pretty badass right?" I inquire.

"Abilities come in a wide range and variety. Most are helpful to the individuals in some aspect." He sighs then adds, "As much as I love answering your questions we must move on soon. I would like to go home as quickly as possible," Magnus says lazily putting his feet up on his desktop and leaning back in his chair. Naturally I shut up and wait to be interviewed.

The questions I am asked range from general personality test-type questions like "Do you have any pets?" to the seemingly irrelevant such as "Do you regularly maintain a healthy blood-iron level?" to the downright boundary crossing including "How strong do you consider the relationship between yourself and your parents to be?" I answer every question as honestly as I can until Magnus notifies me that he's finished.

"You are quite naturally heroic although a bit impulsive at times. You also have a massive ego problem possibly stemming from your successes throughout your childhood turning into larger successes as you age. Don't expect for your success to continue in this area of your life. I believe you are best suited for the group called Nephilim, who are closely tied with making decisions for the benefit of other individuals. You could also choose to join the Circle, although I would advise against that in your case. The Circle mostly do what they view is right for humanity as a whole and are not necessarily against hurting few to appease the many. You seem to be someone that is pained by bringing misery to your fellow man," Magnus states softly before sitting back down in his over-stuffed chair, "There is also the option to stay with one of the two for as long as it takes for you to learn to control your strength. Then you are welcome to go home. If that's what you want to do you must tell us ahead of time because once you join you can't leave."

"Which group is Clary in?" slips from my mouth before I have a chance to digest Magnus's words.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wayland, I can't let something like that influence your decision," Magnus states pityingly. I can tell he would tell me if it was allowed.

"Do I get any more information on either of the groups?" I ask "I would really like to make an informed decision."

"No, . I'm very sorry, but that would be against several of my rules," Magnus states with finality. I'm going to have to choose blindly then. Which group does Clary belong to? Does she even belong to one of these? Based on the information I have I can only make the choice for myself. Is that what Magnus is trying to get me to do?

"I suppose I have to choose Nephilim, then." I say uncertainly. Was that the right choice? Does it matter? Am I making a mistake? Why are these people so weirdly insistent on me choosing between these things?

"Lovely. I'll call Jocelyn. You will be escorted to a separate building to receive more information and your life will go back to a relatively regular schedule," Magnus assures as he escorts me out of his office, "Just go out the way you came, there should be someone waiting for you downstairs. Good day Mr. Wayland"

I make my way out of Magnus Banes office, its warm scent disappearing with every step I take down the hallway. I move in a daze until I reach the bottom of the stairs. Just as promised, there is a person waiting for me.

"Hello Jace, it's lovely to see you again" Is the last thing I hear before I feel my head hit the ground.

When I wake up I'm back in my bedroom on my bed fully clothed. I look at my clock and realize I've already missed the first half of school. Next to my head, laying on my dresser, is a large white box. It's about the height of my backpack and twice as wide. I stand and yawn feeling a large lump on the back of my head where I assume I was hit. I try to remember the face and voice at the bottom of the stairs but all I can retrieve from my memory is the faint scent of paint a flash of red. I feel panicky and exhausted despite hours of sleep.

I carefully open the white box and find a manila envelope, a letter with a wax seal, a navy blue duffel bag, several weapony-looking things, and a pair of keys that definitely aren't mine. I would know if I had a car half as fancy as the sleek black key is. I click the unlock button and hear the distinct _chirp-chirp _of what appears to be a blue motorcycle parked in my driveway. Thank God my parent are away for the week. My Parents! What are they going to say?

I set the key down and open the manila folder. Inside is an identification card with my senior picture on it I had submitted to the yearbook a few days before. There are also a handful of printed information sheets about what I am allowed to do and say about my powers and a contract to sign about promising to follow the rules it specifies:

1. Do not reveal your power/s to anyone.

2. Do not undergo any illegal activity while in the employ of the Nephilim.

3. If you accidentally reveal your power/s notify a Niphilim executive immediately.

4. All items given to you by the Niphilim are property of Niphilim and you have no ownership over any and all items.

I sign figuring that I'm already in too deep to try to get out.


End file.
